Length of hospital stay and stool frequency was not significantly different with either immediate feeding or graduated feeding in children with gastro-enteritis.
There is evidence of faster weight gain with immediate
full strength feeding
Evaluation of infant feeding in acute
gastro-enteritis.
Armistead J, Kelly D, Walker- Smith J
Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 1989; 8:
240-4.
Three-part Clinical Question
In children with gastro-enteritis is
gradual introduction of feeding better than immediate normal feeding with
regards to symptom control and time to resolution ?
Search Terms
Medline 1966-09/01 using ovid interface( exp
gastro-enteritis) AND ( exp bottle feeding OR breast feeding OR exp feeding
methods OR "feeding".mp) LIMIT to human AND (newborn infant OR infant
OR preschool child OR child).
The Study
Non-blinded randomised controlled trial with intention-to-treat.
The Study Patients 68 infants, admitted or gastroenterology casualty
clinic, less than 9 months old, acute diarrhoea and/ or vomiting for less than
7 days, bottle fed
Control group
(N = 22; 22 analysed): 24 hr dioralyte, quarter strength
milk, diluted with dioralyte, increased by 1 quarter strength every 24 hrs
Experimental group
(N = 22; 22 analysed): 24 hr dioralyte then full
strength milk
The Evidence
| Non-Event Outcomes | Time to outcome/s | Control group | Experimental group | P-value |
| Hospital stay in days | Days 1 to 4 | 4 (0.2) days | 3.6 (0.6) days | NS |
| Weight gain (%) | +0.35 (0.5) |
+0.65 (0.6) |
0.01 | |
| Stool frequency |
4 |
3.7 |
NS |
Comments
? sufficient number, bottlefed only and sponsored by Nestle. Most mild
dehydration.
Appraised by
Nico Grunenberg, Ravenswood Surgery, New Road, Forfar DD8
5AE; 20 November 2002
Email: peni.grunenberg@virgin.net